Huel and Zoe Ads Featuring Steven Bartlett Banned By Watchdog
Ads featuring Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett for nutrition brands Huel and Zoe have been banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for misleading consumers. The watchdog ruled that the Facebook ads, which ran earlier this year, did not disclose Bartlett’s financial ties to the companies, leading viewers to believe they were independent endorsements.
Bartlett, who hosts the popular Diary of a CEO podcast, is a director at Huel and an investor in Zoe. However, these connections were not made clear in the ads, which featured him promoting the products.
In one Zoe ad, Bartlett is shown with a health patch, encouraging viewers to try Zoe, suggesting it could “change your life.” Meanwhile, the Huel ads featured him praising the company’s Daily Greens powder, calling it the brand’s “best product.”
The ASA received complaints that these ads could be misleading, as they did not clarify Bartlett’s vested interests in the brands. The regulator concluded that without this information, consumers might assume Bartlett was providing an unbiased opinion, rather than promoting companies in which he has a financial stake.
"We considered that Bartlett's directorship was material to consumers' understanding of the ads," the ASA stated in its ruling.
Huel and Zoe defend ads
Both Huel and Zoe defended their ads, arguing that most consumers would recognize that celebrities like Bartlett typically endorse products within a commercial context. However, the ASA maintained that it was important for the ads to explicitly mention Bartlett’s roles at the companies to ensure transparency.
The ASA ordered the ads to be removed and prohibited them from appearing in their current form. It emphasised that future advertisements must clearly disclose any material information regarding commercial relationships to avoid misleading the public.
This isn’t the first time Huel has faced scrutiny from the ASA. Last year, an advert for Huel on Bartlett’s podcast was also banned after he claimed to be "hooked on" one of their drinks, without adequately disclosing his directorship at the company.
A spokesperson for Zoe acknowledged the ASA's decision, stating that they respect the regulator's work in ensuring transparency in advertising. They added that they would welcome further guidance to clarify the requirements for disclosing such commercial relationships in the future.
Huel, on the other hand, argued that their ads were already in line with consumer expectations.
